Financial aid eligibility is determined by the information provided in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA requests income information from two years prior and does not give the student the opportunity to explain a change in income that could affect his or her ability to pay for college. Therefore, under federal law, financial aid administrators have been given the authority to use Professional Judgment on a case-by case basis only, to adjust the student's cost of attendance or the data used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI).
Professional Judgment can also be used if other special circumstances exist which impact a student’s ability to pay for college. Refer to the information below for additional details.
Special Circumstances are financial situations, that are not addressed in the application process, that support a change to the cost of attendance or data used to calculate financial aid eligibility. Examples of special circumstances include:
The following list includes common circumstances in which Professional Judgment may apply:
- Changes in employment status, income or assets
- Change in student or dependent student’s parents’ marital status
- Death of a dependent student’s parent
- Excessive medical and dental expenses
- Catastrophic loss, such as damage or loss from a natural disaster
Note: The list above is not all inclusive, additional scenarios apply.
Steps to complete a Professional Judgement (Re-evaluation) due to Special Circumstances
- Complete the FAFSA.
- Contact a Financial Aid Advisor at 989-729-3911 or submit a ticket to have a Financial Aid Advisor contact you about the possibility of completing a Request for Re-evaluation. The Advisor will explain both the process for re-evaluation and what documentation may be needed.
- Monitor your Baker College email account for additional information that may be requested to process your Professional Judgment and/or notification of a final decision on the Professional Judgment.
- Once all requested documents are received, you will receive a determination via email. Note: Requests will be processed as soon as possible, but no later than 60 days after a student enrolls or 60 days after the request is received.
What Happens if Your Request for Professional Judgment Is Approved?
If your Professional Judgment is approved, the financial aid office will make a change to data elements on your FAFSA. For example, if a student has lost their job, a change will be made to the income and income tax figures on the FAFSA. The changes will generate a new 24-25 Student Aid Index (SAI) and a new financial aid offer will be determined. Note: A Professional Judgment related to income adjustments will only be approved if the adjustment in data results in a lower SAI.
What Happens if Your Request for Professional Judgment Is Not Approved?
If your Professional Judgment is not approved, we will notify you and the financial aid offer that was previously provided is still valid.